Therapeutic bath for animals



Oct. 30, 1962 R. J. scHANTz THERAPEUTIC BATH FOR ANIMALS Filed Nov. 7, 1960 3,%%,32 THERAPEUIC Bielli FR ANllM'ALS Robert J. Schantz, Sli Ford Blvd., Hamilton, Ghia Filed Nov. 7, 1960, Ser. No. 67,684 6 Claims. (Cl. 1l9-l58) This invention relates to therapeutic treatment for animals. More particularly, the invention relates to a therapeutic bath apparatus for race horses and the like. Preferably, though not necessarily, the bath may be incorporated as a mobile unit which may be conveniently towed or trucked to the area where needed for treatment of a sore or lame animal particularly of the quadruped spec1es.

It is well known, for example, to treat humans for strained muscles, sore joints, infections or lthe like by means lof a bath treatment wherein `the strained, sore, or infected area is immersed in a warm Water bath wherein the bath water is caused to circulate against the a'licted area.

Recently it has been discovered that this same treatment is highly effective in relieving distress in animals. In particular, the treatment is eiective in reducing lameness, soreness, etc., in thoroughbred and standard bred race horses. These animals are particularly susceptible to such 'ailments which, because of the seasonal nature of racing, can drastically reduce the ability of the animal in this competitive sport.

Due to the fact that the location where races are held varies throughout the country and the racing season may be limited to relatively short stays in a given area, the benets of therapeutic treatment are not always available when needed.

In addition, while the equipment for providing therapeutic bath treatment for humans may bel comparatively simple, such is not the case with animals. Human patients exercise restraint, can control the bath temperature and position the part of the body requiring treatment in the most eihcient position to take full advantage of the bath circulation. Animals cannot act, obviously in such fashion and thoroughbred animals are particularly a case in point tending to be high strung, reacting violently to any circumstance not familiar to them. Such action cannot only result in complete loss of benefit of any treatment, 4but may injure themselves and destroy the equipment designed to perform the necessary 'action to produce a curative result.

Therefore, it is an object of the invention `to provide an apparatus for 4therapeutic treatment of animals.

A further object of ythe invention is to provide a therapeutic bath treatment for horses.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a therapeutic bath for animals wherein the apparatus is capable of performing the desired result without danger of destruction or danger of injury to the animal which may react violently to unfamiliar conditions.

Still `a further object of the invention is to provide a therapeutic bath for quadrupeds which is compact, mobile, for easy movement from place to place, and which utilizes electrical energy to heat the bath lluid and as well energize the circulating devices utilized in the apparatus.

These and other objects of the invention not specifically mentioned, but inherent therein, may be accomplished by a bath receptacle of sufficient height and width to receive the animal within its interior, the sides of the receptacle having suitable apertures opening into an equal number of wells in communication with the interior of the receptacle for its entire height or depth, means disposed Within each well for removing fluid from a strata adjacent the bottom of the receptacle and discharging a stream of duid inwardly toward the interior of the re- 3,06%,892 Patented Oct. 30, 19d2 dee ceptacle, said means including au air inlet to cause air to be entrained within said stream in the form of minute bubbles, the fluid discharging means being adjustable relative to said aperture With which it is associated to cause the stream to impinge against the areas of the animal being treated, and means `for heating and recirculating said bath lluid.

The receptacle may further be mounted on -a mobile frame `and preferably each stream discharging means is provided with a means for regulating the rate of discharge of each of said `stream against the area being treated.

Having thus described the invention in general terms, a reference to the drawings attached to and forming a part of the following detailed description Will enable a more complete understanding thereof readily apparent.

In the drawings, FIG. l is a perspective view of the apparatus illustrating `the general arrangement of its co-mponents,

FIG. 2 is an elevational view partially in section, illustrating a well and the fluid circulating means incorporated therein, taken along the line v2-2 of FIG. 1, and

lFIG. 3 is a plan view partially in section taken along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the invention, partially in schematic form showing the invention mounted on a mobile frame such as =a trailer or truck bed or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 1, it will be seen that there is illustrated a tank 10 `of suilcient length, depth or height or Width to receive an animal to be treated, such as a race horse. One wall of the tank 10, preferably end wall 3 comprises Ia swingable gate pivotally connected to a side Wall 5 by suitable hinges 7 such that it may be swung open to admit the animal into the interior of the tank 1. The edges of gate 3 are provided with a suitable gasket 9, in la known manner such that when gate 3 is swung `to a closed position, a fluid tight seal is affected between the edges `of sidewalls 5 and 1l, and bottom i3 and the gate 3. Thus the tank 10, with gate or end wall 3 closed and locked by a suitable lock mechanism 17, 171 forms a lluid tight receptacle.

In communication with tank 10 via -a filler conduit 2l, Va pump 2.3 and a filter unit 25, is a second tank 2S which may comprise a storage tank having suicient capacity to fill the treatment tank 10 to the required depth with the treating fluid, usually Water into which is dissolved a predetermined amount of Epsom salt or the like.

A second conduit 27 is also in communication with bath tanks 10 and Zit and is provided with a conventional manually operated regulator valve 29. This line deiines a return conduit for the purpose as will be apparent subsequently. This return line may in some cases also be in communication with a pump 31 exhausting into tank 20.

Disposed interiorly of tank Ztl is a heating device 30. This may be of a combustion type but preferably is an electric unit of conventional design. This unit 30 is of su'icient heat output to adequately Warm the water in the tank to the desired treatment temperature. Such units are commercially available and need not be described in detail herein.

From the foregoing description it may be seen that heated iluid from tank 2t) may be pumped into treatment tank .10 and, if desired, recirculated between tanks 10 and 2@ via conduit 2l, 27, pumps 23 and 3l, and through a conventional filtration unit 25 of which there are a variety of commercial units available. In this fashion the bath may be continually heated to a desired temperature to effectively treat an incapacitated animal.

Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 2, detailed consideration will now be given t-o the means for directing a combination of treating iluid and air entrained bubbles to the ailicted areas being treated.

The sidewalls 5 and l1 of the tank are provided with at least two apertures 35, 35l of generally rectangular form extending from the top of treatment tank it? to a point closely adjacent the bottom 13 thereof.

These apertures open into an equal number of identical blister or well structures 37 formed by outer housings 39 of generally half diamond or cylindrical form having their'side and bottom edges liXed to the treatment tank by any one of several conventional means as where the tank is metal and the housings 39 are welded thereto.

In the illustration of the invention embodied in PEG. 1, it will be apparent that four such housing structures are utilized to dene four identical wells or blisters 37. Since each is identical, the following description of one such Well will suiiice for all.

Turning then to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that disposed Within each well is a motor driven agitator unit 40 comprised of a motor 41, shaft 42, impeller 43 and housing 44. The motor 41, of course, drives shaft 4Z and impeller 43 within housing 44. The entire unit is mounted on a pivot bracket assembly 59, comprised of two plates 51 and 52, plate 51 being fixed to agitator unit 46, plate 52 to the housing 37 connected by a pivot pin 53. Thus the Vagitator unit can be moved Within the blister or well to swing about the pin 53. Preferably the plate 51 is provided with an arcuate slot 55 Vwhich receives a threaded bolt 55 passing through plate 52 such that a hand screw 59 may be tightened on bolt 56 to clamp plate 51 and hence agitator unit 4t? at any desired position within the limits of arcuate movement permitted by slot 55. Generally an arc of 3045 is adequate for the purpose.

The plate 51 is connected to unit 49 by means of a Split clamp 57 which surrounds housing 44 and which may be fastened or loosened around the housing by means of a threaded bolt 59 having a hand wheel 61 or an equivalent means fixed thereto. Thus aside from arcuate adjustment of unit 40, the entire unit may be raised and lowered in well 37 for the purpose as will hereinafter be apparent.

Returning now to a primary consideration of FIG. 2, it will be seen that housing 44 not only embraces shaft 42 but also it is provided with a bulbous lower end 45 which surrounds the impeller element 43. This bulbous portion 45 of the housing is provided with two apertures 45 and 47. The opening 46 is located at the bottom of this portion of the housing While the opening 47 is provided in the side of the housing and is directed inwardly toward the interior of treatment tank 10 through the aforementioned opening 35 acting as a discharge orifice because of its relatively small size and nozzlelike coniiguration. Thus the impeller 43 acts as a pump drawing the warm water which ills the well upwardly through opening 46 and discharging it at relatively high velocity through discharge orifice into the interior of the tank 10.

Since it is often desirable to regulate the discharge rate from the impeller 43, the inlet opening 46 in the bottom of housing portion 45 is provided with a cover plate 48 pivotally iixed to the housing by a bolt means 49 such that it may be moved to any position between a contiguous position over inlet 46 to a position completely out of the inlet. Thus by suitable adjustment this plate or cover member 48 via hand lever `60, it acts to meter the iiuid passing through the bulbous portion 45 of housing 42 to regulate in turn the rate of discharge through discharge orifice 47.

As has been indicated each blister is similar to the one described above with the net Vresult that there are four streams of warm fluid being directed inwardly toward the interior of treatment tank 1li.

One other feature of some importance is also shown in FIG. 2. It will be notedV that a small tube 5S is atixed to housing 42 having one end disposed adjacent to motor 4l and its lower end adjacent discharge orice 47. This tube acts as an air entrainment medium to supply the water with entrapped bubbles which are carried into treatment tank 1li.

In addition it may be desirable to place a at plate or plank member '75 exteriorly around the upper marginal edges of the treatment tank iti as indicated Vby the dotted lines of FIG. 1. This would serve to effectively raise the height oi the tank, if necessary, and additionally these members would serve to protect the motors of units 4d from wetting.

From the above description it may be seen that, for example, a horse may be positioned standing in the tank. Gate 3 is then closed and sealed by means of latch i7. Pump 2S and heater 39 are energized'to till the tank with warm solution. When the level of the solution is high enough to cover the atiiicted area, agitator units 40 are started and the areas are thus subjected to the continued action of warm moving water and entrained air bubbles. By adjusting the height of each of the units 49 in collar 57 and changing its angular position Via brackets 5l and 52, the discharge orice may be directed that the iiuid flow is concentrated on the ai'llcted area of the animal, through apertures 35, 351. Also, if desired, the pumps 25' and 31 may be energized to keep warm water of the proper temperature flowing continually between storage and heating tank Ztl and treatment tank 1t?.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the invention as carried on a mobile frame. Obviously this could be a truck or trailer, a trailer being illustrated. In this installation the entire unit is housed in a closed body having a roof 92 with suicient clearage to permit entry of a horse or other animal in the tank 1t) via ramp 94.

It will be noted that all of the components, heater 30, pumps 25 and 31 and the agitator units 40 are electrically operated. Thus in the case of a mobile unit such as shown in FIG. 4, it may be desirable to also provide a self contained motor generator unit to power these various elements yfor example in localities where electrical power is not available from conventional electrical outlets.

Having `described my invention in detail, it will be apparent that various changes and modilications can be made which fall within the spirit and scope of the invention which is limited as dened hereinafter.

I claim:

1. A therapeutic bath for quadrapeds comprising a bath receptacle and a reservoir in communication with said receptace, means for controlling the passage of iiuid to and from said reservoir to said bath receptacle, said bath receptacle including sides having spaced apertures therein approximating the location of the legs of an animal immersed in said bath, means deiining a plurality of Well structures disposed externally of said bath receptacle in communication with each of said apertures independent pump means and means disposed in each of said wells for removing fluid from a strata adjacent the bottom of said receptacle and discharging a stream of uid interiorly of the receptacle at independently selected rates through each of said apertures and means for heating said uid.

2. A therapeutic bath as defined in claim 1 wherein said uid heating means is disposed Vwithin said reservoir.

3. A therapeutic bath device as defined in claim 1 wherein said independent pump means disposed Within each of said wells included additional means for entraining air bubbles in the uid stream directed interiorly of said receptacle.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said iluid stream discharging means comprises an impeller, a

5 housing surrounding said impeller and having an aperture 6. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein all of opening toward the bottom of the receptacle and a nozzle said means are mounted on a mobile frame. opening toward the interior of said receptacle and motor U means -for driving said impeller and means for variably References Cled 111 the 51e 0f hls Pa'fent and selectively covering said apertures to control uid 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS ow from said nozzles. v

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said 2237435 me Apr' 8 1941 2,555,686 Farrelly et al June 5, 1951 housing motor means and lmpeller are adJustably mounted with each of said wells Kfor both vertical and angular 2611341 Pans Sept' 23 1952 10 2,808,031 Sollars et al Oct. 1, 1957 movement. 

